Conventional electrofluidic displays are capable of transposing one or more colored fluids through microfluidic cavities using electrowetting control. The technology is capable of higher brightness and improved color saturation as compared to some electrowetting or electrophoretic displays. Unlike electrophoretic displays, where exact pixel and structure alignment is not needed for pixel operation, electrofluidic displays required highly precise alignment of control electrodes of two adjacent pixels to ensure separation of the fluids. If the fluids from adjacent pixels join, then it may be difficult and unpredictable to split the fluids and to return the fluid to the respective pixel. Un-even splitting of the fluids will cause excess fluid to build up in some pixels and reduce the optical performance of the display. In some cases, un-even fluid splitting may continue until display operation is no longer possible. Furthermore, when features are formed around the border of adjacent pixels to keep the fluids of the adjacent pixels separated, these features take up visible space and reduce the optical performance of the display.
What is needed is an advanced electrofluidic imaging film or device suited to repeated operation over any arrangement of electrodes. Such display technology would be less expensive to manufacture, capable of higher in maximum resolution, faster in switching speed, possibly more reliable, and would allow higher optical performance. Furthermore, an electrofluidic imaging film or device is needed that provides imaging or information display without the optical losses associated with pixel border features.